Heating apparatus for oil-wells.



W. B. WIGLB.

HEATING APPARATUS PoR OIL WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1911.

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Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

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WILSON IB. WIGLE, -0F lSANTA MARIA,.CALIFORNIA.

HEATING APPARATUS FOR OIL-WELLS.

Specification of Letters ,Patent -Application led January 31, 1911. Serial No. 605,745.

To all whom 'it may concern: ,l

Be it known that I, WILSON B. W IGLE, .a citizen of'r the United States, residing at Santa Maria, in the county of Santa Barbara and State of Californla, have invented new and useful Improvements in Heatin .Apparatus for Oil-Wells, of which the folpumping tube and provide the same with packing means and inlet and outlet piping by means of which heated water may be caused to circulate around the pumping tube of an oil well and within the outer cas-A ing thereof.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figurel is a vertical central longitudinal section through the casing and tubing of an oil well showing the present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transversel horizontal sectional view taken upon the line 2--2y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the members of the packing device 'before they are inserted in the well. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of one of the packer rings showing one of the ball valves mounted therein.

The features of the present invention willl now be more particularly described reference being had to the parts shown in the accompanying drawing in which- 5 indicates an outer casing, 6 a liner, 7 a packer carrying casing and 8 an inner tubing through which the oil is to be pumped.

In equipping the well with the mechanism forming the subject matter of this invention, the casing 5 is driven into the ground until it reaches the oil bearing sand, say at about 9 indicated upon Fig. 1 of the drawing, the lower end of the said casing being permitted to rest upon said sand. An inner perforated liner or tube 6 is then inserted through -the casing and driven below the same into the oil bearing sand as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The upper end of this liner is usually .the same and the outer casing 5.

provided with a collar 10, which is screwed upon the upper edge of said liner and is adapted at its upper thickened edge to support and limit the downward movement of the outer member of the tube packer. The tube/packer is preferably made up of an outer member 11 and an inner member 12 Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

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which are arranged partially opposite each l other .so as to telescope somewhat with' respect to each other.

The outer acker member 11 is inserted in the well by eing secured to the outer surface of the/tubing V7, the said tubing forming an inner caslng. This` casing may be made up of any necessary number of end to end casing sections, for reaching to the depth at which the packer iswto be placed, and the said-casing also extends upwardly usually above the outer casing 5 at the top of the well. The said outer packer member V11. comprises a collar 13 whlch is provided wlth screw threads upon its inner surface i and is screwed upon adjacent sections of the casing 7. The said packer also comprises a loose ring 14 slipped upon the lower section of the casing 7 and. held in place by a collar 15 screwed upon the lower end of said section.

Packing or yielding material 16, such as rubber, hemp, canvas or the like may be mounted between the collar 13 andv ring 14. When'the casing 7 is lowered into the well the ring 14 will rest upon the collar 10 of the liner 6 and be limited in its downward movement thereby. The weight ofthe casing 7 will then rest upon the packing 16 and will tend to compress the same and cause it to bulgeoutwardly against the inner surface of the casing 5. The bulging of the'said packing under the weight of the casing 7 will make a water tight'joint between the outer casing 5 and the inner casing 7 at this point. The collar 13 is provided with a series of passages17 adapted to communicate with the space left between the adjacent sections of the casing 7 which are conneoted by the collar 13 whereby communication is established between the spaces within the inner casing 7, and the space between The passages 17 are angular in shape and open through the upper edge of the collar 13, the said upper ends being enlarged as'at 19 to receive ball-check valves 20. The said balls normally tend to fall over the narrow pororder to hold the upper end of the innerv casing 7 in.y position at the top, the lower section 22 is put in position being adapted to just fit upon the outer surface of the casing 7 while its lower end is of larger diam-V eter and is connected by means of a suitable coupling or collar 23, with the upper end of the outer casing 5. Above the collar 23 thel said cap section 22 is provided with an outlet pipe 24, extending to any suitable point and through which the hot water or other heating liquid finds an eXit from the casing.

The central portion of the said cap section 22 engages the inner casing at 25 and above this point a packing as 26 is inserted which is adapted to be held in place by a collar 27 which is screwed upon the upper end of the inner casing 7. By securing the -collar 27 downsnuglyJ against the packing 26, a

water-tight joint is formed between the cap sect-ion 22 and the said inner casing 7.

vlNithin the casing 7 is an oil pumping tube 8 which is made of any desired number of sections and carries .at its lower end a vsection 28, which is generally perforated as shown for admitting the oil to 'the interior of the tubing as well as through the end of the tube.

The inner packer 12 is carried by one of the lower sections of the tubing 8 and comprises lyielding packing material as rubber, fiber, ycanvas or the like, indicated at 29 which is limited at the bottom by the ring 30 and at the top by a collar 31. The parts 30 and 31 with the packing 29 between them are placed upon the tubing 8 before itis lowered into the well andv it is then lowered in the well until the ring 30, engages the inwardly projecting annular flange formed by the thickened lower edge of the ring 15 secured to the inner casing 7 This ring 15 limits the descent of the ring 30 and the weight of the tubing 8 rests upon the packin material 29, through the agency of the coar 31 and thereby compresses and bulges the same so as to make it ll tightly the space between the tubing 8 and the casing 7, thus forming a water tight joint at the lower end of the .said casing 7.

By the use of the sections of the packer as l 11 and 12 described, the casing about the tubing 8 contains two concentric, cylindrical passages through which the heated water may be circulated for warming up and tending to liquefy the heavy oils drawn from the well. The upper end of the inner casing 7 for the purpose of this circulation is closed by means of a second cap section 32 which screws vinto the upper end ofthe lower cap section 22. This ca section 32 fits quite closely upon the tubing 8 and is provided with a packing gland at 33 for forming a tight jolnt 4between the tubing and said section. The said section 32 is also provided with an inlet at 34, suitable pipingtbeing secured in an aperture in said cap at this point as clearly shown in Fig.'1 of the drawing. The upper end of the tubing 8 is closed by \atop cap section 35, which is provided with one or more outlet pipes 36 and 37 for the exit of the oil which is being pumped. The usual pump rod 38 is adapted to move up and down through the said top cap 35 and is provided with a packing gland at 39 for preventing the escape of oil about the said rod 38. The top cap pieces 35 are screwed into the upper end of this section 32 so that when it is removed the full diameter of the tubing 8 is opened for the withdrawing or insertion of tools or implements used in connection with the well.

In pumping oil of certain characteristics from wells particularly where the oils are heavy and sluggish in movement the movement of the said oil is greatly facilitated by increasing its temperature and thus increasing its fluidity.

The piping for accomplishing the circulation of the heating medium is connected with any suitable heating and pumping means, as for instance an ordinary hot water or steam boiler and an ordinary pump. rlhe liquid in its hot condition is pumped through the piping 34 into the space between the inner casing 7 and the tubing 8. It thence passes downwardly and through the apertures in the lower end of said casing 7, and the passageways 17 past the lvalves 20 and into theouter casing 5. The heating medium will then pass upwardly and find an eXit through the pipe 24. In actual use water is found to be the p referred means for heating the oil and may be used over and over again, since it does not lose all of its heat in this way and does not require a great deal of additional heating to maintain it in the proper temperature when it is to be returned to the well again.

In the event of the necessity for removing is stopped and the water in the outer casing 5 is prevented from returning or running into the well by means of the valves 20. The water in the inner casing is forced outwardly in drawing the tubing 8 with its packer section 12 out of the wall. The formation of the cap sect-ions is such, that they veach receive an equal amount of the heat units as the water enters the casing and will expand or contract evenly so as not to loosen their joints.

Since the rubber or other material in tl .e

- as it leaves the sand, making it possible for the heat to reach and affect the oil before it reaches the working barrel on the tubing 8. The said working barrel is usually put several hundred feet above the sand in deep wells. In this way the oil has ample opportunity tobecome quite warm before it reaches the -pumping apparatus.

What I claim is:

l. A well Warming mechanism comprising -outer and inner casings, extended over the pumping tubingof awell apparatus, and packing means interposed'between tubing and the inner casing and between the lower ends of the two casings,vpassages .befing provided in the inner casing for establishing communication between the spaces wit-hin the casings, and permitting of the forcing a heating medium into one casing and then throughv the other for heating the tubing within the casing.

2. A mechanism forl heating oils in extract-ing heavy oils from the earth comprising an outer casing, an oil extracting tube extending into the same, and an intermediate casing arranged between the outer casing and the tube, and packingvmeans between its lower end and the said tube and casing, the structure being such as to permit the driving of a heat medium through the compartments, formed between the said tube and outer casing.

3. A heating mechanism for facilitating the extraction of heavy oils in. wells, comprising concentric casings arranged outside an oil extracting tubing, packer heads interposed'between'said concentric casings and between the inner casing,- and the oil extracting tubing, the said packer heads being adapted to be compressed by the weight of the inner casing and the extracting tubing for making tight joints between the parts, and means for delivering hot water between the oil tubing and the inner casing, and, an outlet for the water between -the concentric casings, the wall of the inner concentric casing being provided witha passageway for the water from the inner casing to the outer ing tube of the well, concentric tubing arranged about the same having spacing means'between them and between the inner concentric tube and the oil extraction tube for forming concentric cylindrical passages, the said passages-being closedY at the bottom and extending approximately the full depth of the well, an inlet pipe for directing a heating agent into the lnner concentric, passage, and an outlet pipe for providing for the discharge from the outer concentric passage.

5. An oil well heating mechanism comprising an outer casingx set in the earth and extendin to the oil bearing sand, an inner casing of less diameter set therein, and having an opening inits walls for the passage of heating fluids, a` packen-interposed between the lower ends of said casings comprising packing retaining rings and elastic 'packing mounted between them capableof expansion by the weight of the inner casing, p

means for closing the upper ends of said casings, the said casings being provided with hot water inlet pipes and hot water discharge pipes, the opening in the walls of.

the inner casing affording a passageway for the water from one casing to the other.

6. A heating means for oil wells, comprising concentric casings of different diameters arranged outside the oil pipe of a well, annular connecting heads for closing the upper ends of said casings, packer sections capable of being lowered into the well between the concentric casings and upon the oil tube, each of said packers comprising rings, one of which is movable, and packing material interposed between them -whereby the packing material will be caused to bulge and seal the space between the parts, the parts being arranged for directing a driven heating agent between the oil tube and the inner casing and thence between the inner and outer casings.

7 A heating mechanism for oil wells comprising concentric spaced tubular casings, one of which is provided with an opening in vits walls, and a central oil extracting tube,

yend of'said inner casing, and said tube, i

through, pins for preventing the balls .from have hereunto subscribed my name this 26th being forlcledl out of position, and means day of January, 1911. directing ot water into t e concentric casing and from the same aain in maintaining WILSON B' WIGLE' 5 the oil tube at a suita 1e temperature to Witnesses:

facilitate the flow of oil therein. HENRY C. BAGE,

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I DEANE LAUGHLIN. 

